Comcast settles with FCC for $800,000 over alleged NBC Universal merger violations

The FCC has announced that Comcast will pay an $800,000 settlement to settle a dispute over its alleged failure to fulfill certain conditions of its merger with NBC Universal. As part of its obligations under the merger, Comcast was required to “visibly offer and actively market” standalone broadband internet access — something the FCC says it may not have done adequately. Such conditions were originally set in place to alleviate net neutrality concerns: the FCC approved the merger with the understanding that Comcast would not prioritize video traffic or NBC content to the detriment of standalone broadband services. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski says that “today’s action demonstrates that compliance with commission orders is not optional,” though his sharp words seem odd when juxtaposed with an $800,000 penalty.